Three people were arrested for suspicion of child abuse/neglect Friday after a search warrant of a home led to the discovery of filthy conditions, including mice infestation and floors covered with dog feces, according to a Carson City Sheriff’s Office booking report.
Following an investigation, which included a search warrant and interviews, CCSO deputies arrested the parents of the children and a third adult that lived in the home. Carson Now is withholding the names of those arrested so as to not identify the last name of the juvenile victims.
According to the booking report, a Carson City Sheriff’s School Resource Officer (SRO) requested assistance with a search warrant at an Esther Circle home. The deputy stated an Eagle Valley Middle School student had missed a high percentage of school this year and the previous year. The student has been bullied by other students because of the foul smell he emits, the report states.
The SRO deputy advised the child had admitted to school staff about attempting suicide, saying he previously attempted hanging, drowning and that he had considered jumping from the second story of the middle school, the report states.
On Nov. 20, the SRO conducted a home visit to check on the child, who had been absent from school for a long period of time. Upon arrival, the SRO deputy could smell a foul odor in the house and when the child exited and that he had black dirt and filth on his feet, the report states.
The SRO applied for and was granted a search warrant for the Esther Circle address and to check the condition of the home. During the investigation it was learned that the boy’s 15-year-old sister also lived in the home.
Carson City Sheriff’s SET detectives assisted with the search. Officers knocked on the door and the male juvenile exited. The deputy asked where his father was and he said he had left. The child provided deputies with his phone number.
Shortly after, the juvenile’s mother exited. She was informed deputies had a search warrant for the property.
The juvenile, the mother and the other adult occupant exited the home. Multiple dogs were barking and Carson City Animal Control was called to assist with the dogs. SET detectives and deputies searched the backyard until Animal Control arrived. In the backyard, a pool and three sheds were found. It was apparent that one of the sheds was occupied but the occupant was not there at the moment, the report states An additional dog tied to a chain was found on the side of the yard.
The children’s father arrived and he was read his Miranda warning and he agreed to speak. He was informed of the reason CCSO was there and to wait outside the residence in which he agreed.
Mice and dog feces, decaying floors and rotten food discovered
Due to the foul odor coming from the home, SET detectives and CCSO deputies donned Tyvek suits and gas masks because of the high potential for exposure to hazardous materials.
Detectives entered the home and were immediately overcome by the foul odor of leftover food, pet urine and fecal matter and mouse fecal and urine matter. Upon entering the home, the floor was found to be decaying due to what appeared to be mold, the report states. It had appeared as if someone or someone had fallen through the hole, which exposed the base of the home.
At the home’s entrance, deputies saw what appeared to be dog urine mixed with mouse feces and then noticed mouse feces covered the floors. The kitchen was heavily cluttered with dirty dishes. In each room, deputies observed what appeared to be dog fecal matter on the ground, along with mouse fecal matter, the report states.
In a dog kennel inside the adult’s bedroom, deputies observed a good amount of dog fecal matter as well as fecal matter on the floor, which appeared to have been stepped on, the report states. The report notes “it was impossible not to step on mouse fecal matter in the residence.” Officers also observed old, rusted pans in the cabinets, a pot with pasta that was decaying and covered in flies.
As deputies continued to search the home, a detective advised officers to be careful where they stepped due to the floor decaying and holes exposing the base of the home. Deputies noticed the bathrooms were cluttered and the shower did not appear to be operable. There was hole on the ground near the bathroom that also exposed under the residence, the report states.
The conditions of the home were extremely disgusting and hazardous due to everything being covered in mouse feces and the floor of the home beginning to decay, the report states.
After the residence was made safe for entry, the crime lab entered to begin photographing the conditions of the home. Deputies left the residence and with the assistance of the SRO, interviewed all adults in the residence.
CCSO interview all three adults and read them their Miranda warning. They all agreed to speak. After speaking they stated it was the children’s responsibility or the other adults’ responsibility to clean the home. If it didn’t get cleaned, they wouldn’t clean it, the report states.
The father was asked when he gave up on cleaning the home and he said when he stopped getting help. The other adult living in the home was asked what he thought about the children living in that type of environment. He acknowledged that it wasn’t OK but didn’t report it because he didn’t want to get anyone in trouble, the report states.
All three adults acknowledged the mouse infestations. The mother even stated she gets bitten by them. However, their answer to this problem was that the exterminator came out a couple months ago and set traps around the home, according to the report.
Report conclusion and arrests
The home’s conditions were extremely foul, the report states. The home was infested with mice and everything was covered in mouse fecal matter including the floor, cabinets, cat house, etc. In addition to the mouse fecal matter, six dogs were not being cared for. The ground in all the rooms, as well as their kennels, were covered with fecal matter that had not been cleaned and was beginning to harden. The home was falling apart and there were holes in the floor that needed to be replaced. The windows were broken, black mold was on the walls and the roof was deteriorating.
Mice dropping present a health risk to humans and carry bacteria that cause serious illnesses such as hantavirus and salmonella. In addition to the disease, when fecal matter is disturbed, it becomes airborne, allowing people to inhale it.
The three adults all hold responsibility as adults to take care of the welfare of the children, the report states. Due to this need not being met, they were arrested for suspicion of felony child neglect. All three were placed in handcuffs, taken to the hospital for medical clearance and then to jail. Bail: $40,000 each.
The juveniles have been turned over to Child Protective Services.
— All information for the crime log (unless otherwise noted) is public information and supplied by the Carson City Sheriff’s Office through probable cause reports. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Go here to view Carson Now’s policy on naming defendants.
